How to get good braking on carbon rims….

bernithebiker

this has kind of been the holy grail for me over the last few years; very hard to find, and maybe doesn't even exist.

But now I think I've cracked it; new wheels, brakes and pads, and I now have braking to rival any I've ever tried on a road bike (in the dry).

Firstly, the Lightweight wheels with Lightweight pads were very impressive, a big step up from Mavic Ultimates with BBB carbon pads. Then DA 9000 brakes completed the package, and the power and modulation is excellent.

So not sure if it's the pads, the rim, or the brakes or a combination of all 3, but this is how to get great stopping power with carbon rims.

Yet to try them in the wet; no doubt power will be well down, always the weak point on carbon rims, but I hate riding in the rain anyway….!

mitchgixer6

I to have much better braking. The only thing I've changed though is to the 6800 group. The braking on that is the biggest improvement over 6700 IMHO. Power is still good in the wet but obviously not quite as good as in the dry conditions.

Bar Shaker

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

ugo.santalucia

SO the message is to buy the Lightweights?
They're not even that expensive, init?

Crozza

so all I've got to do is get a sight of Lightweights?

excellent - this may be how I finally get some past the missus...."you can't put a price on safety"

Grill

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

No, buy these instead: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/

Same as the Reynolds Cryo Blue pads which are the best I've used and way cheaper.

bisoner

Grill wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

No, buy these instead: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/

Same as the Reynolds Cryo Blue pads which are the best I've used and way cheaper.

Grill - Have you tried Swissstop Black Prince? These wear fast, squeal a bit but brake without pulsing.

And do the Lifeline ones pulse under heavy braking?

meanredspider

*whispers from behind the sofa*

D-i-s-c-s, get d-i-s-c-s.....

sungod

bernithebiker wrote:

<...>
Yet to try them in the wet; no doubt power will be well down, always the weak point on carbon rims, but I hate riding in the rain anyway….!

i've done a lot of wet rides on my lw wheels

as with other rims, standard stuff that helps is to just skim the pads to clear water if you think you may need to brake, it avoids those tense moments before you get any braking at all on fully wet rims, for unexpected hard braking you just have to hope you stop in time

btw i find in the wet they get quite snatchy

bernithebiker

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

I think a big part of this is the pads.

I've tried Swiss stop yellows and wasn't super impressed.

The 9000 brakes definitely add another boost - and they're a bit lighter than 7900!

Grill

bisoner wrote:

Grill wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

No, buy these instead: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/

Same as the Reynolds Cryo Blue pads which are the best I've used and way cheaper.

Grill - Have you tried Swissstop Black Prince? These wear fast, squeal a bit but brake without pulsing.

And do the Lifeline ones pulse under heavy braking?

I have tried Black Prince, they didn't seem any better. These don't pulse or squeal.

kingstonian

Take the Fred Flintstone approach and brake with your feet

darkhairedlord

So the secret to good braking is the wheels, pads and brakes? glad that's sorted then, i've been awake worrying about that for bloody ages

meanredspider

darkhairedlord wrote:

So the secret to good braking is the wheels, pads and brakes? glad that's sorted then, i've been awake worrying about that for bloody ages

No - the secret to good braking should have nothing to do with the wheels: brakes, discs, pads and tyres - anything else is a compromise as far as braking is concerned. I concede that some people might want to make that compromise however.

ivanoile

bisoner wrote:

Grill wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should
Grill - Have you tried Swissstop Black Prince? These wear fast, squeal a bit but brake without pulsing.

And do the Lifeline ones pulse under heavy braking?

I had no squeal with BP,at least not on Bora Ultra wheels but these pads are disappearing under heavy breaking :oops:

bernithebiker

darkhairedlord wrote:

So the secret to good braking is the wheels, pads and brakes? glad that's sorted then, i've been awake worrying about that for bloody ages

Well of course, but the question is which ones, surely?

LegendLust

Grill wrote:

bisoner wrote:

Grill wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

No, buy these instead: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/

Same as the Reynolds Cryo Blue pads which are the best I've used and way cheaper.

Grill - Have you tried Swissstop Black Prince? These wear fast, squeal a bit but brake without pulsing.

And do the Lifeline ones pulse under heavy braking?

I have tried Black Prince, they didn't seem any better. These don't pulse or squeal.

Are they as good as the Black Prince in the wet? If they are then buying some of these Lifeline's is a no brainer

Grill

Can't say, I've never tried BP's in the wet.

DiscoBoy

darkhairedlord wrote:

So the secret to good braking is the wheels, pads and brakes? glad that's sorted then, i've been awake worrying about that for bloody ages

Don't forget that you can't ride in the wet, either.

darkhairedlord

DiscoBoy wrote:

darkhairedlord wrote:

So the secret to good braking is the wheels, pads and brakes? glad that's sorted then, i've been awake worrying about that for bloody ages

Don't forget that you can't ride in the wet, either.

A1 investment then.

goonz

Reynolds wheels with their blue cryo pads. Great in the dry and thats only with 6700 brakes.

Not tried in wet though.

Bar Shaker

Grill wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

Berni I have some Yellows on their way with my new wheels. Should I bin them and get Lightweight's pads?

No, buy these instead: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/

Same as the Reynolds Cryo Blue pads which are the best I've used and way cheaper.

Cheers Grill, 2 sets ordered (meaning free delivery so second set almost free!)

Anyone want to buy some unused Swissstops?

sloppyschleckonds

goonz wrote:

Reynolds wheels with their blue cryo pads. Great in the dry and thats only with 6700 brakes.

Not tried in wet though.

I actually thought my 6700 breaks were better than 7900.....

Grill

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

goonz wrote:

Reynolds wheels with their blue cryo pads. Great in the dry and thats only with 6700 brakes.

Not tried in wet though.

I actually thought my 6700 breaks were better than 7900.....

There is no way. 7900 puts 6700 to shame.
I now use EE which are every bit as good as 7900/9000 but way lighter.

SkyFlyboy

Just out of interest no one ever seems to mention campag carbon brake pads when a discussion like this comes up but seeing a lot of the pros use them even ones not running campag. How do they compare with swissstops etc?

Grill

SkyFlyboy wrote:

Just out of interest no one ever seems to mention campag carbon brake pads when a discussion like this comes up but seeing a lot of the pros use them even ones not running campag. How do they compare with swissstops etc?

Pros use the pads their sponsors tell them to. You'll notice the Shimano sponsored teams are using Shimano pads even though there's much better on the market.

LegendLust

Grill wrote:

SkyFlyboy wrote:

Just out of interest no one ever seems to mention campag carbon brake pads when a discussion like this comes up but seeing a lot of the pros use them even ones not running campag. How do they compare with swissstops etc?

Pros use the pads their sponsors tell them to. You'll notice the Shimano sponsored teams are using Shimano pads even though there's much better on the market.

you didn't quite read the guys post. I too saw photos of various Pro teams using Campag carbon pads when their sponsor was a supplier beginning with S

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gallery/a ... -41013/40/

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gallery/a ... -41013/58/

Grill

Interesting, I hadn't seen that. Haven't heard any real feedback on them as most guys I know running carbon Campag wheels are using Swissstop.

goonz

SkyFlyboy wrote:

Just out of interest no one ever seems to mention campag carbon brake pads when a discussion like this comes up but seeing a lot of the pros use them even ones not running campag. How do they compare with swissstops etc?

Pros dont have to change their own pads...

You try removing a campag brake block from the shoe and then tell me why no one has mentioned them in this thread!

goonz

To be honest though, my campag pads were actually really good. Much better than any Shimano standard pad. Just a total bitchh to remove.

drlodge

goonz wrote:

Pros dont have to change their own pads...

You try removing a campag brake block from the shoe and then tell me why no one has mentioned them in this thread!

Its not that difficult, just lever out at the rear end and pop...out it comes.